Registration has begun for a program for women beef and dairy producers

"Boots in the Barn," a program for women beef and dairy producers, will be held on three consecutive Thursdays in March in the Waukon area.

The March 7th session of "Boots in the Barn" will be held at the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Waukon from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.  It will feature Extension beef specialist Denise Schwab, who will provide information on sire selection for dairy and beef producers. A panel of experts will provide information on how to apply this information to an operation, specifically addressing dairy and beef crossbreeding programs.

The March 14th session will be held at the Waukon Veterinary Clinic in Waukon from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.  It will feature Iowa State's Dr. Caitlin Wiley, who will share tips and tricks to help ease calving season and difficult calvings. She will use "Frosty," the life-size cow model, to demonstrate techniques to simplify pulling malpresentations to result in more live calves.

The March 21st session will focus on vaccine handling and management.  Waukon Veterinary Clinic  vet Dr. Ryan Hammel and Merck Animal Health technical services veterinarian Dr. Brent Meyer will discuss vaccine management, including handling in the heat of the summer and cold of winter, reading labels and keeping records to align with the Beef Quality Assurance program.

Those interested in the program can register online at: https://iastate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_71iPEueAcjRSaTb.  The fee for this program is $5 per session or $15 for all three.

The Boots in the Barn program was created after ISU Extension and Outreach staff in Allamakee, Fayette and Winneshiek counties identified the need for additional ag programs for women.